Circuit-continuing device



H. A. DOUGLAS CIRCUIT CONTINUING DEVICE Fi-Ied March 22. 1923 751 67.(Wag 5 &

Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

U N I HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

CIRCUIT-CONTINUING DEVICE.

Application filed March 22, 1923. Serial No. 626,992.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, HARRY A. DOUGLAS,

citizen of the United States, residing at.

Bronson, in the county of Branch and State of Michigan, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Circuit-Continuing Devices, ofwhich the followingis a full, clear, concise, and exact description. Myinvention relates to circuit continuing devices employing contactcarriers and mountings therefor and resides in the provision of improvedmeans for effecting the assembly of such carriers and their mountings.My invention is of particular service in connection with incandescentlamps which are carried by shells, these shells preferably having theirconstruction modified, in accordance with my invention,-whereby thecontact carriers in the shells which are complemental to theincandescent lamps may be assembled with the mountings that are tosupport the entire lamp structures.

My invention has actually been embodied in a so-called cowllamp'structure, the lamp holding shell having a formation which supportsthe cowl and also entering into the preferred construction for effectingthe as-v sembly of the cowl lamp and the mounting. The invention,however, is not to be limited to its employment in connection withincandescent lamps as other forms of contact carriers may be assembledwith their mountings by means of my invention.

In carrying out my invention the shell which is assembled with thecontact carrier itself carries lateral projections spaced apartlongitudinally of the shell. 'Ihe mounting partially fills the spacebetween these projections to permit of the reception of a retainingdevice which is interposed between and engages said mounting and one ofsaid projections to hold the mounting and the other lateral projectionin assembly, said retaining device being adjustable from its position topermit removal of the shell and the parts carried thereby.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the retaining deviceincludes two keys each having an outwardly facing holding portionreceivable between and engage able with the mounting and two ears whichconstitute the laterally projecting formation of the shell upon one sideof the mounting. Each of these keys has a stem portion received inregistering openings formed in the mounting and through the otherlateral projection of the shell which is desirably continued into acylindrical skirt that is spaced apart from the body portion of theshell. These keys thus serve not only to prevent longitudinal movementof the shell with respect tothe mounting but also the rotary movement ofthe shell within the mounting. A leaf spring preferably enters into theconstruction of the retaining device, this spring being disposed in thespace between the cylindrical skirt and the body of the shell. Thisspring spreads the keys apart and holds them in retaining positions.

The invention will be more fully explained by reference to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view, partially in elevationand partially in section, of a cowl lamp constructed in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view illustratingthe base of the incandescent lamp in elevation and parts in associationtherewith in section; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line .33-of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred form of retaining device;Fig. 5 is a front view with the lamp removed; and Fig. 6 is a view online 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe different figures.

One contact carrier illustratedis in the form of the base 1 of anincandescent lamp whose filament 2 has one end connected with thecontact 3 upon the end of the lamp base, the other end of the filamentbeing connected with the metal sheath which surrounds the base of thelamp whereby the device is constituted a single pole device,

though it is to be understood that the in-' vention is not to be thuslimited.

Bayonet pins 4 are provided, upon the lamp base and are receivablewithin bayonet slots 5 formed in the metallic cylindrical shell 6 at oneend of this shell. A ring 7 of insulation constitutes another contactcarrier which, together with the contact thereon, is assembled with themounting by means of the construction of my invention,

the shell 6 being preferably employed as a part of the means formounting this contact carrier but to the employment of which theinvention is not to be limited. This ring is located within the otherend of the shell and carries a cup 8 through whose bottom a contactplunger 9 extends. This contact plungeris surrounded by a coiled spring10 which presses the contact head 11 of the contact plunger 9 againstthe lamp terminal 3 when the bayonet pins 4 are withintheir bayonetseats. The spring 10 thus not only causes the lamp to be included incircuit but also maintains its assembly with the shell.

The shell is formed with a lateral continua'tion 1'2 and a surroundingcylindrical skirt 13 which is spaced apart from the body of'the shelland is connected therewith by said lateral continuation or projection12. Ears 14. are struck laterally from the shell upon opposite sidesthereof and opposite that end of the skirt which is remote from thelateral continuation 12, these cars being spaced apart from said skirtlongitudinally of "the shell. The dash board or other mounting 15 isformed with a hole 16 through which the shell and its ears may be passedin the process of assembling the lamp structure and its mounting. Theskirt 13 however, is too large for passage through the opening '16 sothat when the structure is in its final position engagement between themounting and the adjacent end of the skirt 13 is'ri orced. The opening16 is desirably contracted except where the cars 14: areto passtherethrough. The lateral continuation or projection 12 is formed withradial openings 17 which register with the portions of the opening 16that permit passageof the cars 14. The retaining device desirablyincludes two keys each having an outwardly facingholding portion 18recciv able between and engageable with the mounting and the ears. Eachof these keys has a stem portion 19 received in the registering openings17 and 16. These keys thus serve not onlyto prevent longitudinalmovement of the shell with respect to the mounting but also the rotarymovement oi the shell within the mounting. A leaf spring 20 preterablyenters into the structure ottlie retaining device, this springbeingdisposed in the space between the cylindrical skirt and the body; of theshell. This spring spreads the keys apart and holds them in retainingpositions.

The keys project outwardly through the openings 17 sutficiently topermit them to be engaged whenever the. lamp structure is in be removed,in which event the keys are pressed toward each other against the forceof the spring 20. When the keys are inser'ted the noses 18 thereof arefirst entered into the openings 17. These noses slant as indicated sothat the spring 20 will be automatically contracted as thekeys are inpassage. 'l Vhen the key noses 18 are in the spaces between the cars 14and the mounting rea ers 15 the spring 20 will spread the keys apart tobring the noses into holding engagement with the mounting.

While T have herein shown and particu larly described the preferredembodiment of my invention I do not wish tobe limited to the precisedetails of construction shown as changes may readily be made withoutdeparting from the sipirt of my invention, but having thus described myinvention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thefollowing 1. The combination with a contact carrier; of a shell withwhich said carrier is assembled and which shell carries lateralprojections spaced apart longitudinally of the shell; a mounting in thespace between said projections; and a retaining device interposedbetweenand engaging said mounting and one of said lateral projections to holdthe mounting and the'other lateral projection in assembly, saidretaining device being adjustable from its position to permit removal ofsaid shell and including a spring for yieldingly retaining it in holdingposition, said mounting and one of said lateral projections being formedto permit passage of the re-taining'device through the mounting toholding position between the mounting and the other lateral projection.V

2. The combination with a contact carrier; of a cylindrical shell withwhich said carrier is assembled and which shell is pro vided with asurrounding lateral continuation and a surrounding skirt which isconnected therewith by said lateral continua tion, said shell also beingprovided witl'i laterally projecting ears upon opposite sides thereofand opposite the end of'said skirt which is remote from said lateralcontinuation, said ears being spaced apart from said skirtlongitudinally of the'shell; a mounting in the space between saidlateral con tinuat-ion and said ears and? engaged with the adjacent endof said skirt and spaced apart from said ears; and a retaining deviceinterposed between and engaging said mounting and said ears.

3. The combination with a contact carrier; of a cylindrical shell withwhich said carrier is assembled and which shell is provided with. asurrounding lateral continua tion and a surrounding skirt which is connected therewith by said lateral continuation, said shellalso beingprovided with lateral P oje t a eras enpes te thereof and opposite tl'c'jend of said skirt which is remote from said. lat continua tion, saidears being spaced apart- TIOllTi said skirt longitudinally of the shell;amounting in the space between said lateral continua tion and said earsand? engaged with the ad:- jacent end of said skirt andspaced apart fromsaid ears; and a key structure having a holding portion receivablebetween and engageable with the mounting and one of the lateralprojections, said key structure also having a stem portion received inregistering openings formed in the mounting and the other lateralprojection, there being portions margining said openings which obstructmovement of the shell in the plane of the mounting.

4. The combination with a contact carrier; of a cylindrical shell withwhich said carrier is assembled and which shell is provided with asurrounding lateral continuittion and a surrounding skirt which isspaced apart from the body of the shell and is con nected therewith bysaid lateral continuation, said shell also being provided with laterallyprojecting ears upon opposite sides thereof and opposite the end of saidskirt which is remote from said lateral continuation, said ears beingspaced apart from said skirt 1ongitudinally of the shell; a mounting inthe space between said lateral continuation and said ears and engagedwith the adjacent end of said skirt and spaced apart from said ears; anda retaining device including two keys each having an outwardly facingholding portion receivable between and engageable with the mounting andone of said ears and also having a stem portion received in registeringopenings formed in the mounting and the said lateral continuation of theshell, there being portions margining said openings which obstructmovement of the shell in the plane of the mounting, the retaining devicealso including a leaf spring disp in the space between the shell and itscylindrical continuation, this leaf spring carrying said keys andpressing them outwardly to retain them in holding positions,

5. The combination with a contact carrier provided with lateralprojections spaced apart longitudinally thereof; of a mounting in thespace between said projections; and a key structure having a holdingportion receivable between and engageable with the mounting and one ofthe lateral projections, said key structure also having a stem portionreceived in registering openings formed in the mounting and the otherlateral projection, there being portions margining said openings whichobstruct movement of the contact carrier in the plane of the mounting.

6. The combination with a contact carrier provided with lateralprojections spaced apart longitudinally thereof; of a mounting in thespace between said projections; I a key structure having a holdingportion receivable between and engageable with the mounting and one ofthe lateral projections, said key structure also having a stem portionreceived in registering openings formed in the mounting and the otherlateral project-ion, there being portions margining said openings whichobstruct movement of the contact carrier in the plane of the mounting;and a spring member pressing upon the key in a direction to keep it inholding position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19 day ofFebruary, A. D.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

